Rep. Lynn Afendoulis – chair of the House Tax Policy Committee – today said that since the governor this week rejected nearly $1 billion in state budget funding, there is opportunity to discuss ways to provide relief to hard-working Michigan taxpayers.

“The governor vetoed funding that is already expected to be headed to state government,” said Afendoulis, of Grand Rapids Township. “If she doesn’t want to use that money in the new budget year, we should have a serious discussion about what to do with it – including possible ways to return at least a portion of it to the hard-working taxpayers who provided it in the first place.

“Seniors struggling to preserve their life savings, families stretching their incomes to make ends meet … these are the people who could use that money if the governor is making it available through her vetoes,” Afendoulis said. “Taxpayers should get back any money the government isn’t putting to good use.”

Afendoulis already has voted in support of repealing the state’s pension tax, and said she is open to discussing other broader reforms such as a possible rollback of the state’s income tax rate.

Broadened tax exemptions also could be part of the discussion, Afendoulis said. For example, the Tax Policy Committee this week heard testimony on legislation that would provide a sales tax exemption for feminine hygiene products. The committee also has considered exemptions for medically implanted devices and for installation of solar panels.

“The governor has opened the door to this discussion about broad tax reform, and it’s an important discussion to have,” Afendoulis said.

###